job search

A job search is never ending. I've been looking since march and still haven't gotten called for an interview. It's been rough. Well the time has come and I'm moving in with my fiance in two weeks without a job. It's a big risk. I'm hoping something will come up last minutes or I'll have to sub and hope to get a LTS position.
It is going to be a big risk, but worth it. I rather do it this year than next.
I'm a great teacher and anyone would be lucky to hire me. I'm probably having a hard time because PA required all subs to be certified first. It seems they will get hired first.
I'm glad I still have this blog to help me get through this.

Kindergarten Teachers Field Trip

Yesterday was field trip day. We went to the Dover Air Force Base Museum in Delaware. The DAFB is pretty big. It has tons of C5 airplanes. As we were arriving a C5 was flying in. It looked to be heading right over us. As our bus was on the road, the plane flew right over us. We could hear the roar of the engine and feel the vibration. All you could see out of the window was the massive plane. They don't look so big in the air, but they are huge. The landing couldn't have been more perfect. The kids were screaming with excitement as the plane went over us to land. We saw many more landings including a touch and go while we were at the museum. It's amazing how such a big airplane, that can carry tanks, can actually fly.

After the museum, we took the kids to the park. That's their favorite part. It's a big wooden castle playground. It's fenced in so we don't have to worry. They ate lunch at the park and played until it was time to go. They never get bored on this playground.

After the trip, it was our turn. Thursday is one of the K teacher's birthdays and she has never gotten a pedicure. She is in her early 50s. We decided to take her for her first pedicure on Tuesday. So all four of us went to the Nail Salon after work to get pedicures. My coworker was like a kid in a candy shop. She thought it was the best thing ever. She commented on how she couldn't believe she had never done this before and doing it after the field trip was perfect.

Today we got to show off our toes. She was showing everyone. We even paid for a design on her big toes. We really made her day. If you have never gotten a pedicure, do it! The best days are after field trips or after school on the last day. It's also great for team bonding.

Pet sharing week

Instead of having pet day, I decided to have it over a span of 3 days in the morning. We have a road walkway and I felt it would be too hot to bring dogs in in the afternoon. Today was the first day of pet sharing and most parents signed up for today. The first animal was a dog, a mutt who was extremely friendly and liked to sit on her mom's lap. The kids were very excited to have pets in the room. The boy who owned the dog has never shared all year during sharing time. I was surprised how easily he talked about his dog. He talked about playing with her and walking her. After sharing, groups of two were able to pet the dog.
The second pet was a guinea pig named Pumpkin and she looked the color of fall. We have two guinea pigs in our class, but it's always exciting to see another. I took one of our guinea pigs out to meet the visitor and they immediately snuggled faces. Guinea pigs are great social animals.
The third pet was a pit bull. I was a little reserved about having a pit bull, but the child's mom is a veterinarian so I knew she wouldn't bring a mean dog to class. The pit bull was very friendly and was a big hit with the kids. He loved being petted and scratched. He had no problems when my student's little sister tackled him and lied on top of him.
The next pets were a white boxer and a mini pincher. I've never seen a white boxer before. She had blue eyes. The mother said the boxer was the one who knew she was going into labor with er second child. She said the boxer kept nudging at her belly. Dogs really have great intuition. The mini pincher was adorable. She had on a dress. I wanted to hold her all day and I'm not really a little dog person.
I had one parent ask to come in the afternoon. What we got was a bit different. We got one rooster and one hen. The rooster was a great wake up call after rest time and the entire building could hear him. A lot of kids peeked out in the hallway. The owners have a farm and many chickens. The hen they brought in came from a first grade classroom that hatched them two years ago. The girl and her mom each took a chicken and sat down. Each child petted the chickens and the animals took it in stride. They were very calm. It was my first experience with farm animals after 7 years of having pet day.
Wednesday Pet Sharing: We only had one dog today. It was a beagle named Dixie. She was about 2 years old. She was a tugger. She really liked sniffing the kids. After each child petted her, she sniffed out the guinea pigs and went nose to nose with one.
Biscuit didn't come in today. The weather was lousy this afternoon. I'm hoping I can bring her in Friday.

June: The longest month of the year

As I hear about my former coworkers and friends finishing up the school year, I have a hint of jealousy. I work at a charter school with more hours and days. I don't finish until June 22nd. The kids, however mentally finished last Friday. Now, I'm going through each day trying to assess, trying to get my students to focus, and not feel like an underpaid babysitter of 16 children (1 who is 7, 13 who are 6, and 2 who are 5).
It is as hot as it can be and my school is campus based, new, and without shade. Recess duty has been torture. It's hot without any escape. The kids are worse. Their play equipment is getting too hot to use. They too don't have any escape from the heat or sun. What should we do, play outside or do the dreaded indoor recess because of heat, which would be a first. One of my students burned himself on the playground. I asked the parent to email the board of directors asking for a canopy for the play equipment. Hopefully we'll get something soon, before we melt.
I'm anxiously waiting for the last day. I've been slowly finishing my online application for a teaching position in Pennsylvania. I'm so nervous about it because I hear it's hard out there to switch to a new district. I have to think positive. I know I can get hired, but what if I don't. I can't go back to my current job. I need to think ahead. I'm getting married in a year and we can't live and work in different states. I also don't want to stay in Delaware, aka the allergy capital of the USA.
The last days are in sight. I know I have to pack up my classroom, my least favorite thing to do. I have so many things in my room that it's unreal. I guess that is what happens when you have to buy everything you need. I will get some things out this weekend and slowly start boxing books and items that I own.
I'm hoping tomorrow that I can post a memory or story again, but this is what I'm focused on now.
I will close with a real kid quote.
Student: Miss Arvay, I know you are getting married, but do you know his name because I don't?

Work to Bed

As the year is ending, life get's crazy. I am spending a good portion of my day giving assessments to my students. I've been having a hard time fitting it in to my schedule. It seems like everyday there is something going on. Today, we went to an assembly of a play given by another kindergarten class. It was cute, but took out most of our morning.
I had homebound instruction after school. My older student couldn't focus for anything today and it took him over an hour to take one test. I finally left the room so he couldn't talk to me. It worked and I wonder why I didn't think of it before.
After homebound I met my fiance at a store to help him pick out a suit for an upcoming wedding. That took a few hours and a few hundred dollars. We went to dinner after and watched a little of the Flyers game at the restaurant.
So now I'm finally home and it's close to my "bed time". This is how I know it's the end of the year. I don't get home till late most nights. Tonight was a freak, not school related delay. Soon I will be full with other after school end of the year activities. I will give my dog a hug before I leave work each day knowing that I'm not intentionally neglecting her and promise a long walk or an hour at the dog park or take her swimming.
It's been a long one. I will be back tomorrow blogging away.

A day for ME

Yesterday, when I woke up, I decided that I would go to work and ask for the next day off. I was exhausted and had yet to take a day off just to relax. I took two days in February to see the groundhog in Punxsutawney, PA, but it wasn't relaxing. We were on the road for five hours and then out and about all sleep deprived day.
Today, I slept in, granted till 8, but much longer than work days. I went outside to read and get tan. It was so nice. I went back inside to work on my paper, then outside again to read and think of more ideas for my paper.
I went to my friends house to say hi and she invited me to dinner. In the afternoon, I went out to get my allergy shot and run a few errands. Overall I had a nice day.
I don't know I don't take more days for myself. I really should have more "me" days. I feel like all I do is run around. I haven't had a free weekend in months and won't until at least July.
Now, I'm back home and I need to do the touch ups for my literature review. I got a good amount done today and feel good about taking the day off.

Procrastination

This week is going to be a busy one as usual. I still have homebound instruction, but for only two days. I am going to the northern PA mountains for Memorial Day weekend. There isn't internet service at the house so I must get my Literature Review done by Thursday evening or go searching for internet while I'm up there. I don't even get cell phone service up there.
Here's the thing; I still have no idea what to write. I've been processing it in my head for the past few days and haven't figured out how to start it. I know once I get going, I should be okay. I've read a few articles about reading and writing, but I haven't had that moment of inspiration that tells me it is what I want to write about.
It doesn't help much that most seasons finales are this week. I am addicted to NCIS. I love the show and the chemistry of the characters. I wish I could be Ziva for one day.
So here I am writing on my blog with the hope of getting some ideas while I type. I hope I get inspired very soon or this week will be a very long one.
I hope to add some more pictures to my blog this week. I love taking pictures. I enjoy taking landscapes and nature more than people. I do take a lot of pictures of my students and create a photo show every year for the families. I allow my kindergartners to use my old digital camera for a feature I call, "If you give a kid a camera." They get some great and funny photos of themselves and objects in the room. It's amazing how many kids take a picture of the clock.
Well, I should stop procrastinating and get on with this paper.
Until I've reviewed literature....

Donna